1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for preparing magadiite requiring a reaction mixture for crystallization thereof which contains as a promoter, a hydrocarbon substituted urea or amide.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Magadiite is a natural or synthetic sodium silicate hydrate with a layered structure having a composition approximating to Na.sub.2 Si.sub.14 O.sub.29 .multidot.11H.sub.2 O. Natural magadiite may be obtained from lake beds at Lake Magadi, Kenya or has an X-ray diffraction pattern as described by Engster, H. P., Hydrous Sodium Silicates from Lake Magadi, Kenya; Precursors of Bedded Chert., Science, 157, 1177-1180 (1967) which is incorporated herein by reference. Synthetic magadiite may be prepared from methods known in the art, for example, Lagaly, G. and Beneke, K., Amer. Mineralog. 60, 642-649, 1975. The hydrogen form of magadiite may be prepared by methods described by Lagaly, G. and Beneke, K., Amer. Mineralog., 60, 650-658, 1975.
The problem with the prior art synthetic methods for preparing magadiite is the relatively long reaction times required to prepare the material.
It has now been discovered that reaction times may be considerably shortened by the use of hydrocarbon substituted ureas or amides, as described hereinbelow.
The magadiite prepared according to this invention is a particularly attractive source of silica as it enables useful crystalline zeolites or molecular sieves to be prepared inexpensively, easily, and in a more purer, larger and ordered form.